In an absorbent article such as an absorbent pad for light incontinence which is used by being attached on the inside of a disposable diaper, an absorbent sheet is conventionally utilized which is obtained by sandwiching particles of high-absorbent resin between two sheet members formed of nonwoven fabric or the like to fix the particles therebetween.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-59579 is related to a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a sheet-like absorbent body used for a disposable absorbent article. The apparatus is provided with a temporary receiving roller having an outer side surface on which a plurality of concave grooves intermittently arranged in a circumferential direction are formed, a transfer roller for holding a base sheet under the temporary receiving roller to convey the base sheet, a box located above the temporary receiving roller for supplying high-absorbent resin particles into the above plurality of concave grooves, and an arcuate guide member facing the outer side surface of the temporary receiving roller in a region from the box to the transfer roller to hold the high-absorbent resin particles supplied in the plurality of concave grooves. The high-absorbent resin particles held in the plurality of concave grooves in the temporary receiving roller are moved to a lower position by rotation of the temporary receiving roller, to be supplied onto the base sheet on which hot melt adhesive is applied. Then, by bonding a cover sheet on the base sheet with high-absorbent resin particles placed therebetween, the sheet-like absorbent body is formed.
In an apparatus disclosed in International Publication No. WO 2006/14854 (Document 2), a centrifugal roll comprises a central portion of cylindrical form and frustoconical inlet portions located on both sides of the central portion, and the centrifugal roll is provided above a non-woven web. A screen printing roll and a belt are provided around the centrifugal roll. Openings are formed in the screen printing roll, and the belt covers portions of the screen printing roll other than a portion facing the non-woven web. Absorbent gelling material granules supplied in the centrifugal roll are collected to the central portion by centrifugal forces and are discharged from the central portion to the outside, to be supplied onto the non-woven web through the openings of the screen printing roll.
Incidentally, in the apparatus of Document 2, absorbent gelling material granules which have been moved to the central portion along an inner side surface of the centrifugal roll are further moved to the outside from the central portion by centrifugal forces. Thus, it is impossible to store the granules in the central portion of the centrifugal roll, and if the amount of granules discharged from the central portion to the outside is greater than a predetermined amount at a timing, the amount of granules discharged at the next timing is insufficient. In order to keep the granule-discharged amount constant in the apparatus, it is necessary to accurately control the amount of granules supplied to the centrifugal roll per unit time, a rotation speed of the centrifugal roll and the like. However, even if such control is performed, the granule-discharged amount changes due to a variation of particle size of granules or the like, and it is not easy that the amount of granules discharged from the centrifugal roll is kept constant.